General News of Thursday, 26 April 2007

Source: GNA

Fridge Timer device developed in Kumasi

Kumasi, April 26, GNA-A Kumasi-based electronics technician, Mr Kwame Adjei Manu has developed an electronic device that is capable of reducing the domestic electricity consumption of fridges by half. The device known as "Fridge Timer" (FT), when connected enables the fridge to automatically cut off electricity consumption for four hours before it re-starts.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Tarkwa at Suame Magazine in Kumasi, Mr Adjei Manu, who is also the Managing Director of Amec Electronics, said the device, some of which had already been given to the Ghana Standards Board for trials and testing, was developed after a two-year intensive research work.

He said research had proved that fridges were the highest consumer of domestic electricity supply due to their constant switch-on. He said in a country where majority of the people used second hand fridges with most of them having faulty or no thermostat, the device would help to reduce their energy consumption and save them a lot of money.

Mr Adjei Manu explained that, the device allowed the fridge to cut off energy automatically for four hours before it re-starts power consumption, adding that, "at the end of the day, energy consumption of the fridges is reduced by 50 per cent without reducing the temperature of the fridge".

He said the device would not only help Ghanaians to conserve energy but also help reduce energy cost paid by consumers to the Electricity Company of Ghana.

Mr Adjei Manu said his company had also developed a DC-AC Inverter/Charger device, which served as alternative power supply during electricity outages.

He said the device could be used by the energy consumption appliances in the home for a period of 12 hours. He appealed to Ghanaians to accept the devices in order to reduce energy consumption and electricity bills.